Lighter



Feb. 9, 1937. M GIBSON 2,070,121

LIGHTER Filed Feb. 25, 1936 a, u A, IIIIJI 'MEI'IHH'I'II' Patented Feb. 9, 1937 PATENT OFFICE LIGHTER Thomas M. Gibson, North Attleboro, Mala, assignor to Evans'Case Conwany, NorthAttleboro, Masa, a corporation of Massachusetts.

Application February 25, 1936, Serial No. 65,724

12 Clalml.

The invention is adapted for use in connection with lighters of various types, and it employs electrical means for igniting the lighter. In general the invention contemplates associating a magnet with a plurality of turns of-wire and causing relative movement between them so that as the turns of wire cut the lines of magnetic force electric current is generated which may be used for the ignition. Preferably this is accomplished by causing a spark to jump a gap at the ignition point. A condenser may be interposed to store the electricity to produce a better spark. No specific mechanism or arrangement adopted to accomplish this is essential to the invention.

In order to clearly explain the invention it may be considered in connection with a lighter of the pocket type. In the accompanying drawing is shown a transverse vertical section of one embodiment .of the invention, the illustration being more or less diagrammatic in form.

There may be provided a casing I having in it a compartment 2 into which may be placed a combustible 3 through a filling hole 4. A carrier 5 suspends a wick 6 in the combustible liquid 3 leaving an open end exposed. Associated with the exposed end I of the wick are a pair of electrical contacts II which connect with a condenser 9 which in turn is connected with the ends of a coil III preferably made up of many turns of fine insulated wire carried by a spool II, which may be made of bakelite or any other suitable material, having a hollow core l2. On the bottom of the casing I in the hollow I2 is a coil spring I3, which supports a plunger ll of permanently magnetized metal. A transverse hole It in the plunger I I carries two latch-plugs I6 preferably of hardened steel. The plugs It are separated by a spring I! which normally holds them in the expanded position shown with their outer ends exposed. The outer ends of the plugs I6 are preferably beveled as indicated in the drawing. Normally resting on the plugs I8 is a tube ll of brass, or other suitable non-magnetic material. The tube I8 is small enough to move easily in the hollow I2 of the spool II and has an inner opening I9 which is large enough to receive and allow movement of the plunger I. The tube I8 is provided with a thumb piece 20 on which is a rack 2I engaging a rack 22 on an arm 23 pivoted on the easing I at 24 and carrying a cover cap 25 which 'may be large enough to surround the wick I and contacts I or only the wick I as indicated in the drawing. Surrounding the tube It is a (Cl. FIB-298).

. and spring 26.

When pressure is put upon the thumb piece 20 it will move the rack 2| so as to lift the cover cap 25 to expose the wick end I. At the same time movement of the thumb piece 20 will cause the tube I9 to move downwardly. As long as the lower end of the tube I9 rests upon the plugs I6 it will carry downward-with it the magnetic plunger I4. As the plunger I4 goes downward it will compress the spring I3 until the upward pressure of the spring I3 causes the tube I9 to pass over the inclined outer ends of the plugs I6, thus forcing the plugs I6 inwardly and a1- lowing the magnetic plunger I4 to be forced upward suddenly by releasing the compressed spring iii. The movement of the magnet in the coil III will cause the turns of the coil III to out the lines of magnetic force thus generating an electric current which will pass into the condenser 9. It in turn will be discharged by a spark jumping the gap between the contacts 8, which are in juxtaposition to the wick I so that the spark will ignite the wick I and cause the lighter to burn.

When pressure is removed from the thumb piece 20 it will be restored to its normal position by the spring 26 which has been compressed by the downward movement of the thumb piece 20. This will release the bolts I6 which will be forced by the spring I 8 outward and under the lower end of the tube I9. The apparatus will thus be returned to the normal position illustrated in the drawing ready for another operation.

The invention is not limited to the specific mechanism shown in the drawing but may be embodied in other forms, -and the various elements of the apparatus may bear to each other proportions other than those indicated in the drawing.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lighter a wick supplied with a combustible substance, separated electrical contacts adjacent the wick, a cover for the wick, a thumb piece for removing the cover from the wick, a hollow coil of wire, a condenser connected with the coil and with the contacts, a magnetic plunger in the hollow of the coil, a spring supporting the plunger, spring held bolts protruding from the plunger, a tube carried by the thumb piece and normally engaging the bolts so that pressure on 2 the thumb piece operates the cover and causes the tube to engage the bolts to depress the plunger against its spring until it overcomes the resistance of the bolts and frees the plunger to be returned by its spring thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the combustible substance, and means for returning the tube to position to engage the bolts.

2. In a lighter, a wick supplied with a combustible substance, separated electrical contacts adjacent the wick, a cover for the wick, a thumb piece for removing the cover hollow coil of wire, a condenser connected with the coil and with the contacts, a magnetic plung-- er in the hollow of the coil, 9. spring supporting the plunger, spring held bolts protruding from the plunger, and a tube carried by the thumb piece and normally engaging the bolts so that pressure on the thumb piece operates the cover and causes thetube to engage the bolts to depress the plunger against its spring until it overcomes the resistance of the bolts and frees the plunger to be returned by its spring thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the combustible substance.

3. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a coil of wire, a condenser connected with the coil and with the contacts, a magnetic plunger, and manually operated means to cause the plunger to make a quick movement so that its lines of magnetic force move across the coil thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the lighter.

4. In a lighter, separated electricalcontacts, a coil of wire, a condenser connected with the coil and with the contacts, a magnetic plunger in the coil, a spring supporting the plunger, spring held bolts protruding from the plunger, 9. tube normally engaging the bolts, and means for. actuating the tube so as to engage the bolts to depress the plunger against its spring until it overcomes the resistance of the bolts and frees the plunger to be returned by its spring thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the lighter.

5. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a

, coil of wire connected withthe contacts, a magnetic plunger, and manually operated means to cause the plunger'to make a quick movement so that its lines of magnetic force move across the coil thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the combustible substance.

6. In a lighter,,separated electrical contacts, a coil of wire connected with the contacts, a magnetic plunger adjacent the coil, a thumb piece for moving the plunger against a spring, and means for releasing the plunger to cause it to make a from the wick, a.

quick movement so that its lines oi magnetic force move across the coil thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts to ignite the combustible substance,

'7. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a coil of wire connected with the contacts, a magnetic plunger adjacent the coil, 2. thumb piece for moving the plunger and storing up energy to move the plunger, and means for releasing the stored up energy to cause the plunger to make a quick movement so that its lines of magnetic force move across the coil thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts to ignite the combustible substance.

8. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a coiloi wire connected with the contacts, a magnetic plunger adjacent the coil, a thumb piece for storing up energy to move the plunger, and means for releasing the stored up energy to cause the plunger to make a quick movement so that its lines of magnetic force move across the coil thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts to ignite thc combustibie material. 7

9. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a coil of wire connected with the contacts, a magnetic plunger in the coil, a spring supporting the plunger, a thumb piece to depress the plunger against its spring and then free the plunger to be returned. by its spring thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the lighter.

10. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a coil of wire connected with the contacts, a magnetic plunger in the coil, thumb piece means to move the plunger slowly in one direction and then release it to move quickly in the opposite direction.

11. In a lighter, separatedelectrical contacts, a coil of wire connected with the contacts, a magnetic plunger in the coil, a spring supporting the plunger, spring held bolts protruding from the plunger, a tube normally engaging the bolts, and means for actuating the tube so as to engage the bolts to depress the plunger against its spring until it overcomes the resistance of the bolts and frees the plunger to be returned by its spring thus producing electric energy to cause a' spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the lighter.

12. In a lighter, separated electrical contacts, a

coil of wire connected wlth'the contacts, a magnetic plunger in the coil, spring held bolts protruding from the plunger, means engaging the bolts to move the plunger and store up energy and then free the plunger to be returned by the stored energy thus producing electric energy to cause a spark to jump between the contacts and ignite the lighter.

THOMAS M. GIBSON. 

